Adjusting mechanism for weighing scales



Nov. 6, 1956 E. KUHNLE i 2,769,590

ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING SCALES Filed Dec. l2, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. KUHNLE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING SCALES VVNov. 6, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. l2, 1951 INVENTOR.' E-YHS Ku\me BYI wwmlsslfm Nov. 6, 1956 E. KUHNLE ADJUSTING MECHAN'ISM FOR WEIGHING SCALES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. l2, 1951 INVENTOR.' Erns+ Kuhrdg BY l NOV' 6, 1956 E. KUHNLE 2,769,590

ADJUSTING MECHANISM F'OR WEIGHING SCALES Filed Dec. l2, 1951 SSheets-Sheet 5 so 3 52 6 5 0 57 43a Y INVENTOR.

.57 j MNST Kqhnle WMM. S '5 #um Nov. 6, 1956 E. KUHNLE ADJUSTING MECHANISM OR WEIGHING SCALES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 511m Dec. 12, 1951 N .ml

United States Patent @ffice ADJUSTING MECHANISM FR WEIGHING SCALES the present invention is to provide a means for quickly and easily adjusting a movably mounted member.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjusting means for roughly locating a member at a desired location and for finely and accurately locating a member at a desired location.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an adjusting `means whose parts are easily movable through predetermined increments so that the .adjusting means is easy to operate.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of adjusting members which are independently movable.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adjusting mechanism of the above type which is made of simple, inexpensive parts and which is exceedingly reliable in operation.

With the above objects in View the present invention mainly consists of an apparatus for adjusting the location of, for example, a price indicating means for weighing scales, this 4apparatus including a member fixed tothe price indicating means so as to move with the same. A first lever is interconnected with this member to move the same through a predetermined distance for a given movement of a first lever, and a second lever is interconnected with this member to move the same through a fraction of this predetermined distance for a movement of a second lever having the same magnitude as the given movement of the Afirst lever. In this way, the first lever provides a rough adjustment of the member to be adjusted, and the second lever provides a fine adjustment of this member.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention areset forth in particular -in thesappended claims. The-inventionitself, however, both as. to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when readinconnection with 'the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic, sectional view taken along line '1 1 of Fig. .2 in the direction of the arrows and showing a weighing :scale embodyingparts of lthepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic, sectional view taken along line 2`2 of Fig. l in the Vdirection ofthe arrows;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic, `fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a schematic `perspective view of part of the structure of the present invention;

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary, partly sectional view of another part 'ofthe structure of the present invention;

Patented Nov. 19236 Fig. p6 is an elevational view of still another part of the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. v7 is la side viewof the structure shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view of the structure of Fig. 6 shown from the rear side thereof;

Fig. 9 is a partly sectional view illustrating the details of the structure of Figs. 6-8; and

Figure li) is a plan View of the structure shown in Figs.'6-9.

Referring now to the drawings, land particularly to Figs. 1 3, there is shown (Fig. 2) a pan 11 to receive the material to be weighed, this pan acting through diagrammatically illustrated transmission members 10 on the diagrammatcally illustrated central weighing beam 12 of the weighing mechanism. This beam 12 has an upwardly directed knife edge 13 mounted thereon and engaging the diagrammatically illustrated bearing 81 The weight 82 resting on the pan 11 works through the medium of members 10 on the knife edge 14 mounted on the right-hand lever `arm of beam 12, as viewed in Fig. 2, and lowers the knife edge 15 mounted on the longer, lefthand lever `arm of beam 12. The diagrammatically illustrated knife edge 15 of beam 12 acts on a band 17 to actuate the tilting mechanism 1S which is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 1-3. This tilting mechanism 18 is provided with a knife edge 183 supported in a bearing 1557 which is stationary. The drum 184 which is xed to and concentric with the knife edge 183 carries a radial arm 186 upon which a tilting Weight 185 is mounted.

Adjacent an end of arm 186 there is mounted a frame 20 of a diapositive plate 19, this frame 20 being fixed to arm 186 by any suitable means such as the clamp 201, diagrammatically villustrated in Figs. l and 3. This mounting of the plate 19 causes it to turn about the axis formed by knife edge 183 by a distance corresponding to the magnitude of the weight placed on the pan 11.

The ldiapositive plate 19 carries a large number of rows of calibrations 191 and 192, these rows each being concentric with the axis formed by knife edge 183. Portions of the scales 191 and 192 a-re projected through a 21 by light passing through the diapredetermined points. The diapositive plate 19 is adapted to have a pair of light beams 251 and 252 pass therethrough, the light beam 252 passing through the weight calibrations 192 and the light beam 251, which is vertically adjustable, passing through one the ground glass plate 21 so as to simultaneously form two images, one of which indicates weight and the other of which indicates price, on the mirror 34 `so that these images may be read. rDhe weight calibration 192 is located furthest away from the turning axis 183 of the diapositive 19 land has the stationary light beam 252 continually passing therethrough. The concentric rows 191, of price calibrations, mounted on the diapositive 19 are arranged to indicate the total price of a weight of material having a given price per unit of weight.

The projection .system includes a stationary light bulb 25 mounted on a stationary Isupport 80 that is itself fixed to the rear side of a stationary scale. The light issuing from be 4connected to any suitable source of current (not shown), passes through a condenser 31 mounted in the wall 30, through the diapositive .19 in the region of the row of calibrations 192, through an objective 32, and onto a mirror 33 from where the light beam passes onto the ground glass plate 21. The latter is located in a cut-out of the arm 303 extending from wall 30. On the lower side of ground glass plate 21, a light guiding tube 91 (Fig. 5) is fixedly connected to the arm 303. On the other side of the ground glass plate 21 there are located two side walls 92 between which is located a frame 94 ot a mirror 34, this frame being pivotally mounted on the side walls 92 by means of the pin members 93 extending from the frame 92 and through openings in the side walls 92, respectively. The frame 94 and mirror 34 therewith are thereby mounted for turning movement about an axis parallel to the ground glass plate 21.

One of the side walls 92 is formed with an arcuate slot 95, as shown in Fig. 5, the center of curvature of this slot being located in the pivotal axis of mirror 34. A pin is iixed to the frame 94 and extends through the slot 96. On the other side of the slot 96 from mirror 34 there is located a moving member 95 which is xed to the pin extending through slot 96. This moving member 9S extends slidably through a bore formed in a front wall portion of the upper housing part 112 of the scale. As is shown in the drawings, the moving member 95 carries a handle at its outer end so that it may be easily moved to adjust the inclination of mirror 34, so that the same may be easily seen by persons of diterent heights.

The upper housing1 portion 112 is formed on its front wall with an opening 113 in which the transparent glass 97 is mounted, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the mirror 34 is clearly visible to the viewer. The housing portion 112, together with the side limiting walls 92, the bottom wall 21 of ground glass, and the front transparent wall 97 forms a substantially closed chamber in which the light beams travel.

In addition to the above-described light beam 252 issuing from bulb 25, there issues from bulb 25 a second light beam 251 which travels upwardly from the light bulb 25 through the bottom central opening of a lightguiding passage 27 located at the rear side of the wall 38. In this lower central opening of light guide 27 there is located a iirst condenser lens 261. The light beam 251 passing through the lens 261 reaches the mirror 28 from Where it is projected through a slot 301 formed in the wall 3i), as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The light beam 251 passes from the mirror 28 through a second condenser lens 262, which together with condenser lens 261 forms a complete condenser. This condenser lens 262 is mounted for movement along the length of slot 391 together with mirror 28, as will be more fully described below, and the light beam passing through lens 262 then continues through the diapositive plate 19. It is thus apparent that, in accordance with the adjusted vertical position of mirror 28 and condenser lens 262, the light beam 251 will pass through one of the several rows of price calibrations located on the diapositive 19. The image of that portion of diapositive 19 through which the light beam 251 passes is projected through an objective 29 which is mounted for vertical movement together with mirror 28 and lens 262.

In order to maintain the light beam within the vertical plane including the optical axis passing through parts 262 and 29, the mirrors 28 and 35 must be maintained parallel to each other. The mirror 28 is, for this purpose, mounted for vertical movement by means of an arm 281 extending from the frame of mirror 28 and a guide piece 282 slidably engaging the slot 301 in the wall 30 and being iixed to arm 281. A portion of this mirror frame extends through the slot 301 and is connected to a portion of the outer casing located about lens 262, the latter being mounted for rotation with respect to this casing portion and mirror 28 therewith.

The mirror is completely independent of the other parts of the optical system and is mounted on a mirror holder 351 which is xed to an arm 352 that is fastened directly to guide plate 42 to be described below, the parts 352 and 42 being parallel to each other. The image of the portion of diapositive 19 through which light beam 251 passes is projected from mirror 35 to the ground glass plate 21 and onto the mirror 34 from which it may be seen.

All parts of the vertically adjustable optical system,

except part 35, that is, parts 28, 262 and 29 are mounted on the ends of arms 38 and 39, the objective 29 being mounted adjacent a free end of arm 39 and the lens 262, to which mirror 2? is connected, being mounted adjacent a free end of arm 38, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4. These arms 38 and 39 together with a guide arm 37 are interconnected by a common cross member 40. The cross member 48 is pivotally mounted at its opposite ends,

, by means of pins 401, in the extensions 41 which are l triangular and carries, adjacent its joined by a cross bar 411 that is itself pivotally mounted at 412 on the columns 413 which are stationary in the scale housing. The pivotal axes formed by members 481 and 412 are parallel to each other and to the optical axis of parts 29 and 262.

The free end of arm 37 is pivotally connected to guide plate 42 which is mounted for vertical movement along a stationary, cylindrical guide bar 43, which preferably has an outer smooth, polished surface, the vertical movement of plate 42 causing turning movement of arms 37,

38 and 39. The arm 37 is pivotally connected to plate` 42 by means of a pivot pin 98, shown in Fig. l, the axis of this pivot pin coinciding with the optical axis of the vertically movable optical system.

The plate 42, in the example illustrated in Fig. 4, is

lower corner, a guiding roller 44 and, at one of its upper corners, a guiding roller 45, these guiding rollers contacting the bar 43 at diametrically opposite sides thereof. A spring 46 exj tends between arm 37 and the third corner of triangular plate 42 so as to tend to turn plate 42 about an axis transverse to bar 43 and in this Way urge rollers 44 and 45 into engagement with bar 43, so as to eliminate all play between rollers 44 and 45 and bar 43.

In accordance with the vertical location of the optical system shown in Fig. 4, there will beprojected upon the mirror 34 an image of a particular one of the price scales 191, and it is therefore necessary to provide a means for properly locating the vertically movable optical apparatus so that the beam 251 passes through that scale 191 which corresponds to the price per unit weight of the material to be weighed. This is brought about by the following structure:

On one side of the weighing scale, there are located a pair of levers 48 and 49 which are mounted in the housing portion 111 for turning movement about a single axis. A gear sector 481 is fixedly connected to the lever 48 through the medium of an interconnecting member 482 (Figs. 7 and 9) so that this gear sector is mounted for turning movement together with lever 48, the gear sector 4817having its center coinciding with the pivotal axis of lever 48. The teeth of gear sector 481 mesh with an especially constructed spindle 51 so that upon turning movement of lever 48 and sector 481 the hollow spindle 51 will be moved vertically on the stationary cylindrical bar 52 upon which the spindle 51 is mounted for free sliding movement.

- As is most clearly shown in Fig. 1, the spindle 51 is formed with a plurality of annular teeth at all except the lowermosty portion thereof so as to form a rack which meshes with gear sector 481. Located about this lowermost portion of spindle 51, which does not have annular teeth formed thereon, is a sleeve 53 to which is xedly connected an arm 54. This arm 54 is connected to the lower end of a strap 83 which is connected at its upper end to plate 42. The sleeve 53 moves together with the spindle 51 in a vertical direction along post 52 upon turning of lever 48 and sector 481 therewith, so that the guide plate 42 is 4also vertically moved and in this way the optical system shown in Fig. 4 is moved vertically.

By means ofthe above described structure, it is possible to turn the lever 48 so as to roughly locate the vertically movable optical system at a desired location along diapositive 19. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the lever 48 is used to move the optical system shown in Fig. 4 to locations corresponding to even values per unit of weight, such as, fori example to even dollar or to even ten ellt values per unit of weight.

The lever 48 has fixedly connected thereto a substantiallyarcuate plate 84 formed'with a plurality'ofV indentations in the outer periphery thereof. An arm 85 is mounted for turning movement onv a pin 56V extending from stationary support- 50, and this arm.85 has its upper end urged toward plate 84 by a spring 87 extending between arm 85 and aY pin 62 xedly mounted'on support 50. The upper end of arm 85, as is shown in Fig. 7, carriesa roller 86 which. engagesone of the regularly formed indentations of plate 84. The indentations of plate 84 are designed so as to always locatelever 48 at a position which corresponds to an even value per unitlof weight, as was described above. Thus the operatofr upon turning of lever 48 can feel the roller 86 moving into one of the indentations of plate S4, and when the lever 48 is idlethe roller 86 is always located in one of these indentations. The parts are so designed that as the roller 86 moves from one indentation on plate 84 to the next, the optical system shown in Fig. 4V moves through a vertical distance corresponding to the vertical space between ten of the rows of scales 191. Thus, by turning lever 48 the operator may quickly locate the optical system at one of the scales 191 corresponding to an even dollar orten cent value per unit of weight.

The lever 49 is provided in order to move the optical system to one of the scales locatedbetween every tenth scale 191 corresponding to an even ten cent value, for example. This lever 49 hasV fxedlyconnectedV thereto a toothed disc 491 which meshes with a horizontally slidable rack 492, the latter` meshing with the' geair 57 to which is joined the gear 58 so as to rotate theseilatter gears 57 and 58.

In addition to being formed with annular teeth,.as was described above, the spindle51 isalso formed with-longitudinal teeth intersectingthe. annular Vteeth so that spindle 51, in addition to being inthe form of a rack vertically movable along bar 52 by meshing of the'annular teeth of member 51 with the gear sector 481-,.i's also in thefolrm of a gear rotatable about theA cylindrical bar 52 asafresult of the meshing of the longitudinal gear teeth formed in spindle 51 with the gear 58. The gearsA 57 and 58 are rotatably mountedon the stationary :support S0.

As is apparent fromFgs. l and7, the lower portion of spindle 51 is formed with a helical groove 531, and a pin 511 (Fig. l), xed to the inner surface of sleeve 53, extends into this helicalV groove 531. The sleeve 53,k by virtue of its connection to plate 42, can only move vertically. The turning movement imparted to spindle 51 by lever 49 thus causes the spindle to rotate about the bar 52 and within sleeve 53. Thus, the helical groove 531 moves with respect to pin 511 and causes the sleeve 53 to move vertically with respect to spindle 51 and in this way move the optical apparatus of Fig. 4 to locate the same in line with a desired scale 191. It should be noted that during rotation of spindle 51, upon turning of gear 58, the spindle 51 does not move vertically as a result of the meshing of the annular teeth of spindle 51 with gear sector 481, these annular teeth simply turning in the teeth of stationary gear sector 481 during actuation of lever 49, and during vertical movement of spindle 51 the gear teeth thereof simply slide between the teeth of gear 58.

It is believed apparent that the movement of lever 49 provides a much liner adjustment of plate 42 and the parts connected thereto than does the lever 48. A plate 88, provided with indentations thereon in the same way as plate 84, is xedly connected to lever 49 for turning movement therewith in exactly the same way as plate 84 is connected to lever 48, and a spring urged lever 89 pivotally mounted on pin 56 carries a roller 90 for engagement with one of the indentations on plate 88 so may be easily located at a position which corresponds to the accurate location of the optical system of Fig. 4 in line with one of the scales 191. The parts are so designed that lever 49 causes a vertical movement of the optical system L the scale 192, and another portion a dollar value of the unit weight. SuitableA calibrations tion thereof. When the price per unit weight is set into the `apparatus and the material to be weighed is placed on the pan 11, the diapositive plate 19 turnsabout the knife edge axis 183 of the tilting system 18 in accordance` with the magnitude of the weight of the material on pan 11. The weight scale 192 and that one of the price scales 191 conresponding to the price per unit weight of. the material being weighed are thereby turned through the light beams 251 and 252 and appear on the mirror 34. The ground glass plate 21 includes a central marking line which also appears on the mirror 34, as is shown in Fig. l, so that one portion of this line accurately indicates the weightin accordance with the intersection of this marking line and of thev marking line indicates the price of the material being weighed in accordance with the intersection of the line andthe particular scale 191 appearing on mirror 34.

Ef desired, color filters system so that the dirTerent scales appear in different colors. It should be noted that it is not necessary to first set in the price per unit Weight by levers 48 and 49 and then place thematerial on the pan 11. The material may be iirst placed on pan 11 and the price then set into apparatus. lt should also be noted that with the above-described construction it is immaterial whether. the lever 48 or 491s moved rst. The above-described chamber formed hy housing portion 112, side plates 92, ground glass plate 21, is particularly advantageous because the plate 21 always remains substantially in the dark and outside light cannot get at the plate 21. The mirror 34 produces equally good images either in bright sunshine or in dim light.

Fig. 9 vof the drawings clearly shows how the lever 48 is mounted for rotation about a sleeve 99 which is itself turnable about 60 extending through supportl lever 48 to actuate rack 492 meshing with gear 491.

lt will be understood that each of the elements described application in other types of adjusting mechanisms differing from the types described above.

as embodied in adjusting mechanisms for weighing scales, it is not intended to be various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics the hundredth of may. he provided in the optical and.

7 What is claimed as new and desired t-o be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for adjusting the location of a price indicating means for Weighing scales, comprising, in combination, a member adapted to be connected to the price indicating means so as to move with the same; first and second levers; rst moving means interconnecting said rst lever and said member for moving the latter a predetermined distance or a given movement of said lirst lever; and second moving means interconnecting said second lever and said member for moving the latter a fraction of said predetermined distance for a movement of said second lever of the same magnitude as said given movement, said rst moving means comprising a stationary cylindrical bar, a hollow cylindrical spindle mounted on said bar for sliding movement therealong and being formed on its outer surface with a plurality of annular teeth so that said spindle forms a rack, a sleeve mounted on a portion of said spindle for movement therewith along said bar and being ixedly connected to said member, and a gear sector meshing with said annular teeth and being xedly connected to said lirst lever for movement therewith.

2. Apparatus for adjusting the location of a price indicating means for weighting scales, comprising, in combination, a member adapted to be connected to the price indicating means so as to move with the same; i-rst and second levers; first moving means interconnecting said first lever and said member for moving the latter a predetermined distance for a given movement of said rst lever; and second moving means interconnecting said second lever and said member for moving the latter a fraction of said predetermined `distance for a movement of said second lever of the same magnitude as said given movement, said second moving means comprising a stationary cylindrical bar, an elongated gear member mounted on said bar for rotation about the same and being formed in a portion thereof with a helical groove, a sleeve Xed to said member, said sleeve having a pin lixed thereto and located in said helical groove, and transmission means interconnecting said second lever and said elongated gear member for turning the latter about said bar upon movement of said second lever so as to move said sleeve along said gear member. Y

3. Adjusting apparatus as dened in claim 2 and wherein said transmission means comprises a gear means meshing with said elongated gear member; a rack meshing with said gear means; and a gear sector meshing With said rack 8 and being lixedA to said second lever for movement therewith.

4. Adjusting apparatus for adjusting the location of an element adapted to move along a straight path, comprising in combination, a stationary cylindrical bar; a hollow cylindrical spindle mounted on said cylindrical bar for sliding movement therealong and rotation thereabout, said spindle being formed with a plurality of annular rack teeth and with a plurality of longitudinal gear teeth intersecting said rack teeth, and said spindle being formed in a portion thereof with a helical groove; a sleeve member adapted to be fixed to the element to be adjusted and being loosely mounted about said spindle at said portion thereof; a pin liXed to said sleeve member and extending into said h'elical groove; a stationary support; first and second levers mounted on said support for turning movement about a single axis; a gear sector ixed to said first lever for turning movement therewith and meshing with said annular teeth so as to move said spindle along saidl bar upon turning movement of said -rst lever; gear means meshing with said gear teeth of said spindle; a rack meshing with said gear means; and a gear iixedly connected to said second lever for turning movement therewith and meshing with said rack so that said spindle is turned about said bar upon movement of said second lever to move said sleeve along said spindle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,345 Koch July 26, 1887 1,299,786 Schantz Apr. 8, 1919 1,420,150 Sauvage June 20, 1922 1,631,788 Bennett June 7, 1927 1,688,539 Fischerr Oct. 23, 1928 2,057,606 Campos Oct. 13, 1936 2,205,103 Mahnken June 18, 1940 2,288,520 Geller et al June 30, 1942 2,375,894 Cobb May 15, 1945 2,404,377 Herbst July 23, 1946 2,418,370 Simmon Apr. 1, 1947 2,489,487 Gradisar et al Nov. 29, 1949 2,567,632 Bihaly Sept. 11, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 497,723 Great Britain of 1939 619,859 Germany Feb. 23, 1934 495,671 Belgium Sept. 1, 1950 

